Just Listen
by Mizu Iruka
Summary: Music meme . . . I apologize. Zutara.


Music Meme

1. Pick a character, fandom, pairing, friendship, whatever.

2. Put on your music program on shuffle/random and start playing songs.

3. For each song, write something inspired by the song related to the theme you chose earlier. You only have the song length. No pre-planning and no writing after the song is over. No skipping songs either.

4. Do 10 songs and post. Make sure to include the song name/artist.

* * *

**1. Fingernails-Skillet**

Zuko lay flat on his stomach, reaching out an arm that was hopelessly too short. Katara was dangling five feet below him. He could see the terror in her eyes.

"Katara, just hold on, hold on, okay?"

She was trembling. He could see her arm muscles straining, pulling. How could she be holding onto anything?

"Zuko, I'm not going to make it."

"Don't say that, just don't." Zuko felt a tear slide down his cheek while the girl below him just smiled sadly.

"All I've got between me and the Spirit world is this one rock I'm holding onto. And it's pulling loose."

She was too matter-of-fact. Zuko could feel his rage building up and he suddenly screamed at her. No words, just a scream of rage and pain.

A tear sparkled in Katara's eye. The trembling in her arms became more pronounced, and Zuko saw her fingernails digging into the rock that was slowly pulling away from the cliffside. Then she fell.

* * *

**2. Fading-Decyfer Down**

"Katara, you've got to save him."

Katara shut her eyes against the pain in his face. "Zuko, I can't do anything about this, it's not a disease that can be stopped, it's degenerative, and . . ."

Katara heard Zuko sit down heavily. "How did this happen, Katara? Our beautiful boy . . ."

She turned around quietly, putting a gentle hand on her husband's forehead. "Get some rest, Zuko. I'll watch him."

She carefully shut the door after him, turning to face the bed with the cold little boy.

"Hey there, sweetheart. How are you doing?" She whispered.

The cracked lips opened slightly. "Momma, it's fading."

"What is, sweetheart?"

"The light. It's fading." Her son turned his head towards the window. "It's fading."

Katara gathered up the body of her son and cried.

* * *

**3. A Little Fall of Rain-Eponine**

"Look, Azula, it's raining outside." Katara waited for the skeleton before her to turn to the window.

"I always loved the rain."

"You did?" Katara watched her sister-in-law give a ghostly smile.

"I never told anyone. No firebender has ever loved the rain." She shifted slightly and turned to Katara. "I hope that you'll visit me more, Katara. It's lonely here."

"I'm just sorry they won't let you out." Katara said softly.

"Well, as arch-enemy to several nations, I do believe that would be not be taken lightly." Azula barely smiled.

Katara smiled too. A knock on the door behind her made her turn slightly.

"Zuko wants you back now, I guess."

Katara sadly nodded. "Don't worry. I'll be back."

"The fall of rain always comes back." Azula sighed. "I'll be here."

* * *

**4. Lovely-Michelle Tumes**

Katara restlessly stirred in her sleeping mat. Full moon tonight. Suddenly she stood and moved off towards the cliff. The gaang had wanted to stay further inland to prepare for the invasion, but she hadn't let them. It was so lovely out near the ocean.

Zuko watched as Katara got up and left. After a moment's indecision, he followed her. She was standing at the cliff edge as he approached, and he was about to say something, but she suddenly jumped. The cry of shock died in Zuko's throat as just as suddenly she was in the air, the ocean swirling around her in complicated designs and shapes, all the while holding her up. Zuko allowed himself a smile. He hadn't seen her this joyful since they had resolved her with her mother's killer. He looked up at the stars and moon, then down at Katara. The moon and ocean may have been lovely, but right now, the center of his universe was Katara.

* * *

**5. Falls Apart-Thousand Foot Krutch**

The scream of inhuman rage hit him just as the water did. Katara towered over Zuko, a hideous expression of anger on her face twisting her features.

"Do you know what you did to me, sending me back there?"

"You, you wanted to go home."

"No, I didn't." Katara slapped Zuko. "I never, ever said that. And now you're wondering why I'm being like this? Why!" Katara's scream reached a pitch and suddenly she turned away. "It's like falling apart all over again. Mom gone, everyone different, all alone . . ."

Zuko could suddenly clearly picture the terrified little girl, standing in a sea of ice, all alone.

"Katara, I'm sorry. I thought you wanted to not be with me, but with . . ."

"You were wrong. Very, very wrong." Katara turned back to him and sat down. "But you said you were sorry." A smile suddenly lit up her features. "Let's start over."

* * *

**6. Southern Hospitality-Disciple**

"These are what?" Zuko picked at the meal with an expression of concealed disgust on his face.

"Sea prunes. Best meal ever, besides polar seal meat." Katara gave him an ambiguous smile. "So, are you going to enjoy our hospitality, or not?"

Zuko sensed danger in her smile and put on one of his own. "Of course." He gingerly spooned up some of the soup in front of him. After blowing on it delicately, he shoved the whole thing into his mouth. He felt the urge to throw up, but managed to swallow the most of it, besides the dribbles. Katara laughed lightly. Leaning forward, she dabbed off his spills with a thick blue cloth.

"Now, why don't you finish it?" Katara laughed long and hard at Zuko's expression.

* * *

**7. Praise You with the Dance-Casting Crowns**

Katara gave a look to Iroh, who shrugged.

"It's tradition in the Fire Nation. If you want to get into the duels, you have to dance first."

"That's the most stupid rule ever." Katara scowled.

"You said you wanted to get into the dueling ring. You going to do it?" Iroh's smug expression was too much for Katara, who, still scowling, snatched the rather skimpy clothing out of his hands and changed quickly.

"Go on, just dance to their music. As weird as it sounds."

Iroh shoved Katara out onto the makeshift festival stage, and the music began. Katara began to awkwardly dance in the water tribe style, but found herself bogged down before she got far at all. Suddenly a strong arm caught her and swung her around.

"Just listen to the music and be your natural self, katara."

Zuko smiled down at her, and Katara took it as a challenge. Swinging herself full into the music, she twirled around Zuko in dizzying forms and moves until they both fell back, Katara leaning slightly into Zuko. He smiled.

"Was that so hard?"

* * *

**8. There Goes My Love Again-Michelle Tumes**

Aang stared woefully at the couple on the bridge. He started suddenly at the voice behind him.

"So, haven't learned to give her up?"

He turned to Suki, a slight scowl on his face. "What are you doing here, Suki?"

"It is the grand reunion, after all. I do believe I got an invitation."

Aang sighed. "Yeah, you're right. You? I do believe that you were quite upset at Sokka and Toph."

"At least I didn't go into the avatar state." Suki countered. Aang allowed himself to give a wry smile.

"Yeah, that didn't go too well, did it."

"No."

"I guess that's what made me actually give up, you know. I hurt Katara . . . It's better for the Avatar to remain separate."

"Uh huh." Suki said, leaning nonchalantly against a tree. "So let them do their thing, and you stop moping, okay?"

"All right." Aang finally smiled, and went back with Suki into Toph's parent's house.

* * *

**9. Lost at Sea-Jimmy Needham**

Zuko stared out over the vast expanse, slight panic in his eyes. How could he have gotten them lost? They were on the ocean, after all. It wasn't that big, it was all mapped out and everything. And just a little while ago, they had been chasing the Avatar. Zuko rubbed his forehead. He needed a flying bison.

"Zuko, the captain hails you. We are coming up on something in the water, he says it looks like a person.

"Send a party down in the lifeboats to pick it up."

Ten minutes later, his uncle approached him again. "Zuko, I think you'll want to come see this.

Zuko followed his uncle, and found himself staring at the water tribe girl. "How . . .?"

"Pirates, sir. She has their brand."

The girl stirred slightly.

"Just . . . I guess . . . take care of her. Whatever her name is."

"Katara." The girl's eyes had opened and were narrowed slightly. "My name is Katara."

"Whatever." Zuko left quickly, not willing to stare into her blue eyes any longer.

* * *

**10. Stand in the Rain-Superchick**

None of them dared to approach her. The darkness was growing, but even Toph wouldn't go towards her. Finally Sokka took a couple steps forward to be behind his kneeling sister.

"Katara."

"I can feel the rain coming."

"I know. Please, Katara."

"No, Sokka. I'm staying here." Katara stood. Her dark hair swirled around her face. Sokka watched as the waves against the cliff grew larger and larger.

"Katara . . ."

"Sokka, just leave her." Aang's callous voice. Sokka felt her sister's anger and tried to put a hand on her shoulder, but Katara had already swung around, rage in the twist of her mouth.

"This is all your fault, Avatar, why didn't you do anything? Was it on purpose? After I left you, you always said . . ."

"Katara!" Sokka grabbed her shoulders and pulled her around. He wanted her to collapse, to show her pain, to let him comfort her. "Katara . . ."

She stood. Pain etched in her face, sorrow and strength combined at once.

Sokka left his sister standing by the grave of Zuko, the rain pouring down on all of them.

* * *

**A/N:** A lot of these are pretty angsty, huh? I'll admit it, I cheated a little. After I was done I went back and spell checked and stuff. And changed things that just didn't make sense. Anyway, have some Zutara :P

I have a bigger fic coming up, so if you happen to like my writing, stay tuned! :)


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